Unhealthy employees are bad for business. They will end up costing your company in more ways than you can imagine, which is why it is so important that, as a business owner, you do what you can to encourage your employees to be as healthy as possible.
Not convinced this is something you need to do? Check out these very real benefits of having a healthy workforce:
You will have fewer accidents
No company wants to have to deal with an employee accident or injury, but if you have staff who are unhealthy, they are much more likely to pull something or make a mistake that causes an accident to happen. Offering employee rewards for cycling and meditation, and things of that nature, can really help with this because staff will be fitter and have more presence of mind which will result in fewer accidents.
You’ll save on sick pay
The healthier your employees are, the fewer sick days they will need to take and the less money they will cost you as a business. Sick days currently cost the UK economy a staggering £77.5 Billion annually, but if more companies were to invest in employee health and wellbeing schemes, this figure would undoubtedly be cut dramatically.
A happier workplace
When you invest in yoga and meditation classes or subsidised gym memberships for your employees, then you are likely to see a happier workplace as a result.
The more time and help your employees are given to work on their mental health, the less likely they are to get stressed out with work and work-related tasks, and the better they will be able to handle their responsibilities.
This will lead to healthier, happier employees, which means fewer workplace disputes and arguments and higher staff retention levels.
Higher levels of productivity
Staff who are fit and healthy are always going to be more productive than those who are unfit and unwell because when you are fit and healthy, you have more energy and more drive and you do not need to keep taking breaks because your neck hurts or having time off to see the doctor, so by spending money on employee wellbeing initiatives, you can make more money by increasing your output and efficiency as a business.
Reduced turnover
Staff who are happy and healthy, and who you are supporting to be happy and healthy with various perks and subsidies, are less likely to leave your business to find work elsewhere because they will be content in their work, less likely to suffer from burnout, and more appreciative of your efforts to help them be the best they can be.
Hiring need staff is an expensive business, so it may well be that subsidising a healthy workforce is the cheaper option in the long term.
As you can see, a healthy workforce can save you time and money, so offering employee perks and rewards that encourage healthy behaviour really is something you should be doing if you’re serious about your success.
